STEVE ALDRIDGE: Big brands must take risk to offer innovative work.

Precision Marketing, December, 2004

It's nice to win awards. I should know - luck, originality and insight, in equal measure, have helped us win quite a few over the years.

Like most of the winners at this year's DMA (UK) Awards, our work was for established brands producing innovative thought - provoking work that delivered excellent results. But this year, more than any other, I was struck by how many smaller, newer brands won awards with highly original and, in some ways, unique work.

These kind of brands are successful because they're prepared to take risks. Indeed, they almost have no choice, because creating cut-through and generating a response without a big budget requires original thought. Agencies are also keen to work on these projects because the brand-owners are prepared...